The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1887-05-12
Lisgarvan Chimney.

Twas when l was counting Katie
that the accident ] am going to tell you
of happened. But for that same acct
dent l don't think Katie an l would be
man an wife this day for you see my
father was set again the match, Katie
being only laborcr's daughter, while
he himself was foreman in the mills,
getting good wages. and thought
good deal of by his employers. An if
it wasn't for Katie don't think I'd be
here now to tell you about it, for twas
she that saved my life. through hitting
upon plan that never once came into
the heads of me or of my comrades
aye. or of those that you'd have thought
would know better than any of us.
l was not brought up to my fathers
trade, having been taken. when young.
bv a brother of my mothers master
bricklayer living in the town. When
my uncle died l came to Lisgarvan for
bit, just to see my father. and finding
that they were al work on the new
buildings at the mills. l looked for
employment there. an got it at once.
Lisoarvan mill is flour mill, and n
pretty place it was in those days, with
the river running just By the old red
brick buildings, an the big water
wheel always going round an round.
The river falls into larger one little
down, an the tide comes up as far rs
the mill, so it's in boats that most of
the corn is brought in, an the flour
carried away. 'Tisn't half so pretty Il
place now; there are big whitcwashei
buildings alongside of the old brick
ones, the big wheel is stopped. an you
hear the whirr of the engine instead of
the sound of the water. But they make
a power of money there, an gives
deal of employment.
As was saying, / cot taken on as
bricklaver. katie's father was work
ing there, too, an l used to sec her
bringing him his dinner. and. after q
bit, began TO think that I'd like to
have her bringing me NINE, too. She
was as pretty girl then as you'd see
anvwhere-she's good-looking to this
iay-an' | soon became that fond of
her that I'd done anything Almost, to
get her. She herself was willing
enough; twas my father that made the
difficulty. He was q proud man, as
proud in his way rs any gentleman, an
he was right down mad at the notion
Of nv marrying laborer's daughter.
10 be sure, Twas earning good wages,
might have married without asking
any ones leave if I'd been so minded,
but didn't like to 60 again the old
man that had always been good TO me.
Besides. Katie was just as proud rs
himself, an would have nothing to say
TO me unless he was satisfied. l got
she master to speak to him. but sure
'twasn't bit of use. ''How would
you like, sir says he to the master,
IF had a daughter. to have Master
Philip take up with her, an wouldn't
lat be the same thing9" l believe
The master did not think it would be
all the same thing; but my father
would not hear reason from him any
more than from me; so Katie an had
Just nothing for it but to wait in the
hope of his coming round, an very
little hope we had of that same.
As we were putting up steam en-
zine in the mill, we had, of course, to
have big chimney. an we got a man
down from town to build it-one OF
them chaps that builds chlmneys an
aothin' else, an thinks nobody knows
ANYTHING about it but themselves.
was working along with him, and. in
deed. twas that built the most of it.
an right good job it was. Twas
finished by Christmas--ten years ago
This Christmas coming on-all but the
lightning conductor, and that was not
out up. owing to the masters wanting
% make inquiries when he d go to Lon
Ion an see for himself what would be
he best kind to use. The master was
scientific sort of 4 gentleman. an had
IDEAS of his own-sometimes they'd be
better than other peoples. sometimes
not so good. At any rate, there was
lelay about the conductor. an N the
meantime the engineers were at work,
an the big chimney was smoking away
ike blazes. Mr. Brown, the strange
workman, had gone away, saying very
.ondescending like that he was sure
Jim Forde Chat was me) would be able
10 fasten the rod to the chimney as wei
,s,.e could do it himself He took all
MS scaTolding with him, but before be
went away he fixed beam with pull
lev to it to the top of the Chi mney, an
eft long rope hanging through it, SC
that a man could be hoisted up at any
time; an there the rope hung dangling
week after week. until the master come
home, bringing the rod along will
him.
Once it had come there was no goo
losing any more time in fixing it up, 81
one Saturday afternoon in January, ~
went on plank, slung securely q
The end Of rope, my tools along wit
me, an settled myself astride on TIN
stone coping. Twas rather late in TIL
aay, but the morning had been too we
and stormy to work, an the maste
was as impatient to get the job done o
4 it hadn't been himself that was hind
sring it all this time. was as much
acme atop of the chimney as l was o
Inc ground. an worked on withou
once looking down. until my job wa
finished an was putting up my tools
Then, all of sudden, heard rattlin
noise; an looking over, l see the plan
going down fast. l called out, "Hullt
there! send that up again, will you !?
but the only answer I got was lou
augh, for all the world like silly Jerr